Word Origin & History

eye O.E. ege (Mercian), eage (W. Saxon), from P.Gmc. *augon, from PIE *oqw- "to see" (cf. Skt. akshi "the eye, the number two," Gk. opsis "a sight," Goth. augo, O.C.S. oko, Lith. akis, L. oculus, Armenian aku). Until late 14c. the plural was in -an, hence modern dial. plural een, ene. The verb is first recorded 1560s. Related: Eyed; eyeing. The eye of a needle was in O.E.; to see eye to eye is from Isa. lii.8. Eye contact attested by 1965. Eye-opener "anything that informs and enlightens" is from 1863. Have an eye on "keep under supervision" is attested from early 15c.

Example Sentences for eye

Rapid, unconscious eye movements explain a famous optical illusion in which a still image appears to move.

Eye gaze is critically important to humans, as social primates.

Eye gaze is critically important to social primates such as humans.

Our political cartoonist casts his eye towards the presidential campaign.

If you roam the sidelines in a college sports arena, consider yourself in the public eye.

Also, if one eye looks cherry-red while the other is much duller, this asymmetry may hint at a blockage in one eye.

When vision fails, it's often the result of damage to the eye caused by an injury or degenerative disease.

Diverse accents and vintage wallpaper draw the eye in the living room.

The eye was too complicated for anything as seemingly accidental as natural selection.